The National tribune., 1887-08-25
FIGHTING THEM OVER
What Our Veterans Have TO Say About
Their Old Campaigns
THE sALTVILLE RAID.

20 give as n history of the Sloneman rad 10
Saltyillo Va. in December, 1854. 1 VIII give
some of the incidents as j remember them,
hoping in this way 90 draw out others. can
not remember al the regiments that partici.
mated I'M that famous aud successful march, aud
hone the bows will not think me selfish II IalI
10 mention all of them.
The 10Th Ohio, lIth Mich. nth and 18th
XIV. Cav. constituted the First Brigade. Gen.
Gillen's Brigade, comprising the 9TH, 10th aud
18th Tenn. Cav, Joined AS at Bean station,
East Tenn as well rs some other kentucky
regiments ON Dec. -. 1904 the entire cav
slrv iorce-so,ne GOO meu--brOke camp and
marched rapidly toward Virginia, reaching
KinCspOrt on the morning OF the lath. Here
we encountered
DUKES ENTIRE COMMAND,
stubbornly disputing the passage of the river;
Gen Gillem got on their hanE ana rear ana
the column led by the 18th Ohio Cav. charged
across the river and Rssailed Duke with the
saber. The rebels gave way aud were chased
five or six miles losing many killed and prs
oners including Col. Dick Morgan and his
entire baggage train. The command then gal
lopea on via Scottsville toward Bristol.
The column marched rapidly TIL evening,
and went into camp for an honr, and then con-
finned toward Bristol. an important town on
the line of Virginia and Tennessee. The sur
prise al Bristol was complete. rs the rebels
know nothing of our coming We "raked IN
400 prisoners and the entire depot Of commas
sary aud ordnance stores with many rallroad
cars and locomotives. Among other captures
were
SEVERAL MILLION DOLLARS
Of Confederate money. The boys carried OF
large quantities OF this and the rest was de-
stroyea / placed a handful OF money IN my
s4ddlo-bags, and il proved . good thing lew
DAYS after when was wounded and pr isoher'
could get a whole quart of blackberry brandy
N IL. 4 for nd
for IS i got = ham of a dealer az Marion while
a prisoner on crutches that i have not settled
for yet.
From Bristol we struck for Abingdon, Va, to
ace what the rebel Gon. Vaughn was doing with
the "appejacl there All night through
rain and mud we pushed ON, keeping well
closed up. Soon after midnight we ran upon
strong rebel picket. Lieut. Holt commanding
Co. L. 18th Ohio Cav, asked permission TO
charge the town. Holt gave his men the word,
and In they went Holt was shot through tue
arm and had his skull fractured
BY cLUBBED MUsKET,
and First Sergt Sherburne fell by shot
from the pickets The column al once followed
the daring lead of Co. j, and IN few minutes
Abingdon and all the "appleiack were ours,
together with the important stores OF the gar
risOn.
Ne pusbed on toward Marion, 3s miles east,
and like Bristol and Abingdon, on the line OF
the East Tennessee & Virginia Railroad. March
ing all day and night, the column, led by Gen.
Gllem with his Tennessee Brigade reached
Marion at daylight next morning. just before
dawn Gen StOneman had ordered The l2th
Ohio 10 the front 10 Join Gillems Brigade At
Marion we encountered the enemy strongly
posted. Gillem had four regiments ID hand
the three Tennessee regiments ana the l2th
Ohio. The charge was sounded, ana over tne
Geld 10 the foot of the hills we went up the
slope and through the camp,
sABERING THE REBELS
In their tents. In short time the enemy,
with a full brigade and eight pieces of cannon,
was going pell-mell toward Mytheville.
Then the fun began. We went mady on
along a good road after the flying Johnnies.
They tried 10 use their artillery, loaded with
shell and canister, but one by one, before they
could reload, their pieces fell into our hands.
A gunner lying here aud there vain cieit
head showed how it was done. For IS miles
Gillenl's troops rode and sabered without firing
q shot Three hundred prisoners had been
taken, and half as many killed and wounded.
At Wvtheville soldiers citizens, negroes,
loose horses and mules Joined in the stampede
20 the hills that enciTcicd the place our des-
tination was now reached. la SIX days Stone
mans command had traversed an entire de-
partment But there was SUI trouble ahead,
for the main army OF Breckenridge had moi yet
been met. No time was 10 he lost. The l@th
ONO began the work Oh destroying the
IMMENSE MILITARY STORES
OF the post and two Tennessee regiments were
sent 10 destroy the fine bridge by which the
railroad 10 Richmond crosses New River. The
destruction Of the bridge and all military stores
was q decided success. From the report Of
Breckenridge the loss nj Wythevile amounted
10 GO wagons. $4,000 Tations 5000 bushels of
grain, $4,000 worth of medical stores, $4,000
rounds OF artillery ammunition, 225 pack-sad-
dies and harness. 80 caissons, 100000 rounds
ofsmal ammunition, 300 stand OF arms, 6,9J9
blankets.
The next day lI7th) we moved on toward
Marion Soon after noon we mel a bOdv-Of rebel
cavalry on a hill detail of 200 men of the
18th Ohio went forward under Maj. Herrick,
charged the rebel cavalry, and sent IL flying 90
the rear some distance, TO where long, covered
bridge crossed a river Here the enemy made
a determined stand. Maj. Herrick charged
through the bridge and again
PUT THE ENEMY TO FLIGHT.
After Mai. Herrick had taken the bridge he
rode up the hill TO see what had become OF the
enemy As be reached tie summit he saw ia
line OF battle not 30 rods away the whole force
of Breckenridge infantry, cavalry aud artil-
lery. The rebel cavalry at once made dash
down the road, charging the 200 men of the
18th Ohio. MAis. Herrick aud Moderwell met
them with q charge. As the two lines came
together the Confcderates stopped their horses
aud began firing The 200 18th Ohio men
went riEht into them aud soon scattered the
900 rebels ia full retreat. Had Mai. Herrick'
charge been supported they could have gone
through Breckinridge's line and captured his
cannon aud made many prisoners.
Thus the evening Of the 18th passed away.
BrecL nridge kept pushing his infantry around
on our tanks, and Stoneman moved his men 10
MEET EACH NEW ATTACK.
The hghtingOn the 18th was at times very Sc.
we're. The cavalry fought mostly on foot, the
horses being sent to the rear. On the after.
noon Of Tie 18th call was made for a detach.
ment OF volunteers from the 10th Ohio to 90 q
the left of our line 10 check some rebel flank.
ers. My horse being shot, j thought perhaps
might get another one on the flank" j vol.
unteered TO 10, and about 80 Of Us got there. ,
but did not get the horse--in fact did moi
have time 10 look for one. The Johnnics kept
nc working my Spencer carbine on them, and
got shot through both legs, aud went TO th,
rear on q cOlOrcd soldiers back.
Stoneman 8 command destroyed The extern
awe salt works al Saltville and returned 10 oul
lines in the early part Of January. i, with ia,
rect d the wounded, was left al Marion Ia lht
Courthouse whore VIC were taken charge o
by some rebel militia. We remained there IN
the railroad was somewhat repaired aud were
then taken 10 Richmond, stopping of ans
being placed in iails or dungeons, at Wythe
Vile aud LynchbHrg. We remained Ia Rich
noud until few days before Grant tool
charge ~ the city. 4. SOLIDAY l2th Obi
Cav. Academy. lul.